FYSP 156 - American Jews and the Politics of Identity

Semester Offered: First Semester
Credits: 4 hours
Attribute: 4SS, WINT

At different points in time, American Jews have conceived themselves, and been conceived by others, as a religion, a “race,” an ethnicity, and a nation. This course explores the way sociopolitical context has shaped American Jewish identity from the nineteenth century to the present. Among the events whose relationship to Jewish identity we will consider are U.S. expansion on the western frontier, Jewish mass migration, the Holocaust, the creation of Israel, and the Black freedom movement. Taking Jews as a case study, the course offers an introduction to the analysis of social identity from a range of disciplinary perspectives.

Enrollment Limit: 16
Instructor: M. Berkman

Consent of the Instructor Required: Yes